1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dispensing systems and more specifically to a dispensing system for wheeled carts and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The availability of carts, strollers, and the like for public use has become an essential requirement in today's fast moving society. The modern sprawling shopping centers and passenger terminals exemplify two areas in which such a public service is an essential requirement. For example, modern passenger terminals are continually confronted with rising passenger loads requiring the rapid movement of passengers and baggage throughout the terminal. It is virtually impossible to satisfy such an increased demand with the standard "red cap" porter system. The resultant shuffle that normally ensues at a busy terminal during a typical day, not only results in unnecessary irritation, loss of time and cost to the passengers, but generates added confusion and inefficient movement throughout the terminal.
The availability of carts, strollers and the like for public use in such places of and by itself does not provide a solution to the problem. For example, in a busy passenger terminal loose carts may be found scattered throughout the terminal generally resulting in a less than adequate number of such carts at the locations where they are needed the most and in an excess number at those locations where they are of little use. Even if cart collection locations are specified throughout the terminal, a passenger in his haste will normally disregard these areas and will simply abandon his cart at random in the terminal. Besides its inherent inefficiency, such a practice creates peculiar liability problems and requires the employment of policing personnel for gathering and returning the carts to their designated areas.
In addition to the above problems, proprietors of shops within shopping centers may be confronted with additional cart distribution problems if they provide carts for use only within their shops. Individual shop proprietors must either police the use of carts they provide to insure that they do not leave their shop, or must police the entire shopping center to return carts that have been improperly removed.
The above problems are nearly eliminated by an automatic self-service cart vending system which provides a cash refund upon the return of a cart to a vending island. The refund system makes the carts self-policing, thus minimizing the need for special cart collecting and handling employees. By strategically locating vending islands around a terminal or shopping center, such a system insures the availability of carts at locations where they are needed the most, while reducing liability problems associated with loose carts scattered at random about a premises.
Automatic self-service cart vending systems have been introduced in the prior art. Prior art cart-vending systems typically employed a rack having an elevated rail for supporting individual carts by casters appropriately located on the carts. The prior art systems required an individual who returned a cart to fold the cart and to lift it into a position that would allow the casters to engage the elevated rail. The systems also required a bulky housing enclosing the carts for preventing "cheating" of the system. The prior art systems did not generally meet with public acceptance. Further, such systems are not readily adaptable to varied cart configurations, since each cart would require specially placed casters thereon and would require size and weight limitations.
The novel automatic self-service cart vending system of the present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art system. The self-service system of the present invention is simple to operate, includes built-in anti-theft protection, has a pleasing aesthetic appearance and has met with proven public acceptance. In addition, the self-service vending system of the present invention is readily adaptable to most types of wheeled cart and stroller vehicles.
While the present invention will be described in conjunction with its use in a luggage cart dispenser system for passenger terminals, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this use, but is applicable to dispensing systems for any type of wheeled vehicles.
Further, while the present invention is described with reference to specific embodiments of dispensing and receiving control apparatus operating upon and in response to a support wheel of a cart, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of the particular apparatus illustrated, but, that any equivalent control apparatus which operates on and in response to movement of a support wheel of a vehicle may be used without departing from the spirit or intent of this invention.
Further, while the present invention employs receiving and dispensing apparatus which operate in response to diameter related parameters of a cart's support wheels, it will be understood that the invention would also apply to functionally equivalent dispensing and receiving apparatus which operate in response to width related parameters of such a cart's support wheels.